Seals, octopuses, jellyfish and more

Broadclub cuttlefish

Ascarosepion latimanus

A large Indo-Pacific reef cuttlefish that can flash waves of colour while hunting or courting. Look calmly and never chase or grab it.

Data DeficientIn 15 Atlas countries

Data Deficient (IUCN, 2012) means there is not enough data to judge the risk. It does not mean the species is safe.

Broadclub cuttlefish hovering with arms raised over reef — Photo: Kai Squires, iNaturalist, CC BY

Broadclub cuttlefish facing the camera with arms raised — Photo: Dan Schofield, iNaturalist, CC BY

Broadclub cuttlefish hovering beside branching coral — Photo: desertnaturalist, iNaturalist, CC BY

Golden-yellow broadclub cuttlefish near seaweed — Photo: Pauline Walsh Jacobson, iNaturalist, CC BY

Pale broadclub cuttlefish among soft coral polyps — Photo: Pauline Walsh Jacobson, iNaturalist, CC BY

Mottled broadclub cuttlefish on a wreck — Photo: Dan Schofield, iNaturalist, CC BY

Reddish broadclub cuttlefish among seagrass — Photo: BJ Smit, iNaturalist, CC BY

Close view of a broadclub cuttlefish's eye and mantle — Photo: Georgina Jones, iNaturalist, CC BY-SA

Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.

Length

Body (mantle) up to about 50 cm (20 in); typical adult size is not reliably measured, and most seen on reefs are smaller

Weight

Maximum often given as about 10 to 12 kg (22 to 26 lb), but sources disagree; typical adult weight is not reliably measured

Next to a person

The body alone can be up to about 30% of an adult's height; most are smaller

What it eats

Fish and crustaceans such as shrimp, prawns and crabs.

Around people

Calm, give space

How it lives

The broadclub cuttlefish is a large reef cuttlefish and a master of colour change. When hunting fish, shrimp and crabs, it can pulse bands of colour along its body and use different disguises as it moves closer. In the breeding season, males show bold zebra stripes in contests with other males. It is not an octopus: it has an internal cuttlebone and W-shaped pupils.

Where it goes

It is active by day and often hovers near coral and rubble. It is usually seen from shallow water down to about 30 m, with records to 55 m. It is not known to travel far; it moves to egg-laying sites near shore only where this has been observed.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

Found widely on reefs from southern Mozambique and the Andaman Sea to Japan, northern Australia and Fiji. There are no named subspecies, though North Sulawesi animals show local genetic differences. Breeding sites and seasons differ: dead Lobophyllia coral heads in Guam, branching corals with crevices in Sulawesi. The IUCN lists it as Data Deficient, because its population trend is not known.

Meet it respectfully

Watch calmly and let the cuttlefish choose the distance. Never touch, grab, chase, feed or block its path. A curious cuttlefish may come close to a quiet diver, but that is not an invitation to touch. A stressed cuttlefish flees or squirts ink, which wastes its energy.

Fun fact

Tap the bulb to light it up.

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